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Reading throught the space marine codex and 6th ed rulebook than come to chainswords. Apparently a chainsword is as useful as hitting your enemy with a bolt pistol. There is no point using them except to make your guys look cool. I know that alot of space marine units us it but why can't it have +1 strength or something to make you slightly want it.

Does anyone else find problems with chainswords or other weapons that do the same thing?

nope.

But there is no point giving space marines this weapon. Just give than a boltgun or a pair of boltpistols. Why should I give my guys some chainswords if they don't do anything

Since there's no option in the codex for 2 bolt pistols, you can't gain the Gunslinger rule for a sergeant. Feel free to give them a bolter, though, I believe it is an option.

The reason chainswords don't have any special rules other than being a combat weapon is because space marines are already tough enough in combat (the ones that are good at it) so they don't need to made any better.

Plus they are being used in quite a lot of armies such as space marines, csm, guard, sisters, eldar striking scorpions (although the eldar ones do grant + 1 strength) and even some ork models I think.

That is a lot of units that have to remember an additional stat or ap change for no good reason imo.

They provide +1 to coolness. That's the most important stat on a free weapon.

Big Choppa adds +2 str. but requires 2 hands so it isn't really in the same league as "it is similar therefore it must behave a certain way". each race has certain weapons that they prefer. some races get benefits because they have a lower overall stat line. but as others have said things will change, when the time comes. (it might even change for chain swords idk prob won't return to 2nd edition cheese that i am quite sure of)

@ Griddlelol: that is the best suggestion i have heard on the matter

you can make VRRRMMM VRRMMMM noises and sickening butcher shop sounds after that
+1 to coolness as been already said

Because you can't get two pistols and it's a free CCW?

I could ask "What's the point of a Choppa?". You can't get Dual wielded pistols that often, and for the CC advantage it's definitely worth taking one.

 Cypherus wrote:
But there is no point giving space marines this weapon. Just give than a boltgun or a pair of boltpistols. Why should I give my guys some chainswords if they don't do anything

You can't give them two bolt pistols because the codex says you can't. You can't just go slapping different wargear to your models and saying that they have that now. VERY FEW models from the C:SM have access to a dual pistol loadout.

Captains, Chapter Masters, Command Squads, Sergeants (Bolt Pistol and PP, or dual PP), Assault Marines (BP+PP), Vanguard vets.

Back in the day every different type of CC weapon had a different profile, which was a bit of a pig to keep track of (including things like broken bottles). Then everything was amalgamated into simple classes of weapons to simplify things and we are now in the process of going through more specialised weapons again, so its possible that in 7th ed chainswords will again have a dedicated strength value.

Until that happens, chainswords are just fancy looking sticks.

TanKoL wrote:
you can make VRRRMMM VRRMMMM noises and sickening butcher shop sounds after that

Can't argue with this.

It doesn't bother me that it doesn't have some special stat. It's free, and a symbol of SM and the IoM. I can see how one would think it should have something over a regular sword though. Although I have thought of using extra runic/power swords instead as I like the looks. Just don't know if people would whine about it. I don't think my area would.

I do think chainswords should be AP5, to buff their CC slightly.

Well, to the OP, the idea isn't hitting your enemy with a bolt pistol, it's shooting him point blank I think.

As has been pointed out in previous posts on this subject, most races have sort of fluffy weapon that is not quite reflected in the fluff, this is largely due to game balance. I personally would rather them not change in order to reduce the amount of special rules. And after all, in the 41st millennium a large chainsaw is probably somewhat of a baseline for close combat weapons, considering that one of the weakest guns in the game shoots lasers.

Or if that doesn't do it for you, you can imagine that everyone in W40K wheres this stuff: http://www.stihlusa.com/products/protective-and-work-wear/chain-saw-protective-apparel/

The only point to having a chainsword currently is to gain +1 attack in CC for having an extra close combat attack from having another CC weapon and/or pistol.

Chainswords are yet another thing that was cooler/better in 2nd edition. They had somewhat more of that edition's version of "armor penetration" than say, a mundane CC weapon, and always hit with Str4, so was a boon to low-strength troops like Eldar. Also, unlike non sword-type weapons like axes and hammers, you could also "parry" with it, which was a special (and important) ability of certain CC weapons in both 2nd edition and Necromunda.

 greyknight12 wrote:
Well, to the OP, the idea isn't hitting your enemy with a bolt pistol, it's shooting him point blank I think.

As has been pointed out in previous posts on this subject, most races have sort of fluffy weapon that is not quite reflected in the fluff, this is largely due to game balance. I personally would rather them not change in order to reduce the amount of special rules. And after all, in the 41st millennium a large chainsaw is probably somewhat of a baseline for close combat weapons, considering that one of the weakest guns in the game shoots lasers.

Or if that doesn't do it for you, you can imagine that everyone in W40K wheres this stuff: http://www.stihlusa.com/products/protective-and-work-wear/chain-saw-protective-apparel/

This, giving them a buff would hurt the game balance imho.

Easy fix- -

AP 6

 greyknight12 wrote:
Well, to the OP, the idea isn't hitting your enemy with a bolt pistol, it's shooting him point blank I think.

As has been pointed out in previous posts on this subject, most races have sort of fluffy weapon that is not quite reflected in the fluff, this is largely due to game balance. I personally would rather them not change in order to reduce the amount of special rules. And after all, in the 41st millennium a large chainsaw is probably somewhat of a baseline for close combat weapons, considering that one of the weakest guns in the game shoots lasers.

Just saying it would be nice to have some form of benefit like +1 str or toughness or something.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Sorry to double post

karandras15 wrote:Easy fix- -

AP 6

Certainly better than nothing

juraigamer wrote:The only point to having a chainsword currently is to gain +1 attack in CC for having an extra close combat attack from having another CC weapon and/or pistol.

I overlooked that. Slight benefits like these are good so weapons aren't completely useless

karandras15 wrote:
Easy fix- -

AP 6

Thanks, My T-shirt saves became even less useful

Leave them as they are and accept that it is for cool not for game benefit.

It's free...quit yer whining!

The last thing Sm need is +1 S or T.

Orks could use +1 S base, since their biceps are bigger than SM HEADS, but in the name of game balance this won't happen